8 Classic Movies Hated By Their Directors
5. Sam Peckingpah - Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid
It took awhile for Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid to find the love it deserved, but it’s easily one of director Sam Peckinpah's best. The film had a stormy production, and Peckinpah's clashes with the studio over budget and crew eventually became public. Peckinpah's alcoholism was also getting out of hand during this period; at one point he urinated on a screen showing dailies because he hated them so much.
The film finished over budget and schedule, which infuriated the studio. Peckinpah delivered a cut he was happy with to them, which they then took out of his hands and severely trimmed. This was the version released in 1973 to mostly negative reviews, and Peckinpah himself hated what they’d done.
The film faded from memory for years afterwards, until Peckinpah's original cut was found and released on video. This led to it being reassessed and is now considered a masterwork of the Western genre; it's just a shame Sam passed away before he could enjoy some of the kudos.